Swimmer Tom Derbyshire has been shortlisted by SportsAid’s for their One-to-Watch Award.
The winner will be announced next week at SportsAid’s 40th Anniversary Sportsball where Derbyshire goes up against triathlete Alex Yee and skeleton slider Ashleigh Pittaway.
Derbyshire has been selected from 1,106 rising British stars supported by SportsAid after a shortlist of 10 was released a fortnight ago.
Each year, athletes are nominated by their sport’s governing body on the strength of their talent and potential, demonstrating why the One-to-Watch Award has gained such a strong reputation for identifying the best up-and-coming prospects.
The judging panel for the award is chaired by Sarah Winckless, a retired Olympic rower who won bronze in the double sculls in Athens in 2004, with representatives from Sport England, UK Sport, the English Institute of Sport, the Press Association and the British Athletes Commission. Para-archer Danielle Brown, a double Paralympic gold medallist, also joined the panel this year.
Derbyshire won gold in the 1,500m Freestyle at the 2016 European Junior Championships and commented: “I was very surprised to be nominated. To be considered for the award is amazing and makes the work you put in worthwhile.
“During the Olympics and Paralympics you could see so many athletes winning medals who had been supported by SportsAid and that really drives you on knowing what people have gone on to achieve.
“The highlight for me this year has got to be the European Junior Championships in Hungary, it was the competition I had been working towards and I managed to become 1,500m champion.
“I made sure to get up in the early hours to catch the swimming during the Olympic Games. I actually went to the European Games with Duncan Scott and Cameron Kurle and they were both in Rio. It shows that it’s not too far off for me; I’m totally aiming for Tokyo. I’m really enjoying training in Bath and my next aim is trying to make the World Championships team next year.”